Shettleston Minister Retires

Recently on a warm, sunny summer's evening, a goodly number of the congregation of Shettleston Free Church [Cont.] met in the Redstones Hotel, Uddingston to mark the retirement of the Rev David S. Fraser and his demission from the charge having been called there some twelve years previously.

After a very pleasant meal, the Session Clerk, Mr Ewan Wilson, on behalf of the congregation, presented Mr Fraser with the recently republished set of the complete Works of John Knox, one of Mr Fraser's great heroes of the faith. The Clerk drew 'parallels' between the two great men's callings as ministers : sword bearer, galley slave, confronter of rulers!

Elder, Mr Alan Wilson then presented Mrs Marion Fraser with some items of jewellery and bouquets of flowers from the congregation. Mr Wilson noted that Mrs Fraser was a great ' daughter of Barnabas ', ever ready with a word of encouragement for preachers and precentor alike. Mrs Fraser had also been a useful 'administrator', helping to keep pulpit supply schedules and other dates and statistics accurate!

The couple were then presented with a cheque as a very small token of the affection and esteem in which they were held by the congregation. The Rev David Fraser then suitably replied, reminiscing about the various charges he had held since his ordination back in 1970 - Mull, the South African Mission field and latterly Covenant College, Zambia and his experiences in Shettleston. He was grateful for the welcoming friendliness of the Shettleston congregation and how he always enjoyed great liberty in preaching in the Shettleston pulpit. He ended on an encouraging note of exhortation for the future witness, now over a century old, prayer being an essential ingredient.

A very congenial valedictory gathering was then drawn to a close with prayer by the Rev David S. Fraser.

Mr. Fraser is pictured with the Shettleston office bearers at the retirement presentation, left to right, David Keddie, elder, Stuart Ogden, deacon and elders Ewan and Alan Wilson.